Are you a born again Christian who loves the Lord, but every now and then finds yourself reverting back to old habits that you dealt with before you got saved?…Or maybe the issue isn’t that you’re reverting back to old habits, but rather that friends from your past keep bringing up the way you used to be, and things that you used to do…Today’s blog deals with being a new Creature in Christ...
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
The beautiful thing about salvation is that God forgives us of our sins, and we become a new person in Christ Jesus. Once we are saved, God views us in a different way than He did prior to salvation. He “reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ” (see 2 Cor. 5:18). And while God views us in a different way, people may not always see you in a different light.
Regardless of how much an individual changes (after salvation), there may people who always want to hold on that individual's past and the way things used to be. As Christians, it’s important not to allow this to get us off track. Be sure to know you’re bible well, and have an in depth understanding of what/who the Word of God says you are as a born again believer. If people speak negative words against you, counteract what they say with the Word of God. This doesn’t necessarily mean audibly speaking to the other person, but you should meditate on scriptures in the Bible, and use it to build your faith.
You may be saying to yourself, I’m not really having issues with other people, however I do have some concerns about old habits resurfacing. With this in mind, I would like to go to Matthew 26:41 which reads as follows: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” It’s important to realize that our flesh (human nature) outside of God is weak. We need to make a conscious decision to be dominated by the Word of God, instead of being dominated by the desires of our flesh. If you are ever feeling doubt or a lack of faith, remind yourself of what Jesus has done for you. The following passage in Isaiah 53 gives great insight on this:
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:4-5
When dealing with a topic like this, I also think it’s important to point out that there are consequences for sinful actions committed before salvation. For example, say you have two teenagers who commit fornication, prior to getting saved, which results in a baby being conceived. If the teenagers come to Christ, they will be forgiven and God will help them, however they will still have to deal with the challenges of raising a child as young parents.
Continue to fight the good fight of faith, and don’t allow the mistakes of your past to distract you from what God has called you to do now….Remember what Romans 8:1 says…”There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
The beautiful thing about salvation is that God forgives us of our sins, and we become a new person in Christ Jesus. Once we are saved, God views us in a different way than He did prior to salvation. He “reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ” (see 2 Cor. 5:18). And while God views us in a different way, people may not always see you in a different light.
Regardless of how much an individual changes (after salvation), there may people who always want to hold on that individual's past and the way things used to be. As Christians, it’s important not to allow this to get us off track. Be sure to know you’re bible well, and have an in depth understanding of what/who the Word of God says you are as a born again believer. If people speak negative words against you, counteract what they say with the Word of God. This doesn’t necessarily mean audibly speaking to the other person, but you should meditate on scriptures in the Bible, and use it to build your faith.
You may be saying to yourself, I’m not really having issues with other people, however I do have some concerns about old habits resurfacing. With this in mind, I would like to go to Matthew 26:41 which reads as follows: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” It’s important to realize that our flesh (human nature) outside of God is weak. We need to make a conscious decision to be dominated by the Word of God, instead of being dominated by the desires of our flesh. If you are ever feeling doubt or a lack of faith, remind yourself of what Jesus has done for you. The following passage in Isaiah 53 gives great insight on this:
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:4-5
When dealing with a topic like this, I also think it’s important to point out that there are consequences for sinful actions committed before salvation. For example, say you have two teenagers who commit fornication, prior to getting saved, which results in a baby being conceived. If the teenagers come to Christ, they will be forgiven and God will help them, however they will still have to deal with the challenges of raising a child as young parents.
Continue to fight the good fight of faith, and don’t allow the mistakes of your past to distract you from what God has called you to do now….Remember what Romans 8:1 says…”There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”